Cele slams faulty CCTV in Site C after cop slaying

Police Minister Bheki Cele in Site C, Khayelitsha, following the murder of Constable Ncedo Katoyi this week. Photo: African News Agency

Police Minister Bheki Cele in Site C, Khayelitsha, following the murder of Constable Ncedo Katoyi this week. Photo: African News Agency

Published Apr 13, 2018

Share

Police Minister Bheki Cele says efforts to arrest the suspects behind the murder of a Khayelitsha police officer were being hampered because of malfunctioning CCTV cameras in Site C, Khayelitsha.

Cele revealed this yesterday after he visited the scene where Constable Ncedo Katoyi was shot dead earlier this week.

Katoyi and a colleague were ambushed by six armed men on Monday after being called to deal with an alleged assault incident.

“There is a large number of cameras, and those cameras work in a circle of 360 degrees, which means they record things in any direction.

“But they have been out of order for eight years. It is no use coming here to shout about it, we have to work together,” Cele said.

To prevent crime effectively, the police needed the co-operation of various government departments. “We have to merge with other levels of the government.”

Cele said he was in the process of alerting the city council about the non-operational CCTV cameras, and would request the installation of high-mast lights. He said arrests were imminent.

A day after the murder of Katoyi, police had encountered the people they suspected were behind the shooting. “We are verifying that. The suspicion is very strong that those were the suspects,” Cele said.

The city council’s director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, said: “The city has experienced extreme, repeated vandalism in this area over the years, resulting in the theft of, and damage to, related infrastructure like power cables.

"The camera (in the vicinity of the shooting) has functioned intermittently over the years, but unfortunately it was not working at the time of the incident mentioned. We are exploring wireless options as a means of overcoming this obstacle.”

Cele and Deputy Police Minister Bongani Mkongi visited Katoyi’s family in Mfuleni.

Katoyi’s widow, Ntombothando, 34, sobbed bitterly as Cele addressed family members at their home.

Cele assured the family they would receive support from his department, and Katoyi would receive an official funeral in his hometown of Ncorha in the Eastern Cape.

Katoyi’s children will be included as beneficiaries in the police department’s trust fund to help them receive tertiary education.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Monwabisi Jobela said Katoyi’s death has devastated his three young children.

A reward of R100000 has been offered for information resulting in the conviction of Katoyi’s killers. Anyone with information is requested to contact Crime Stop anonymously on 08600 10 111 or SMS Crime Line on 32211.

Related Topics: